Mission and Values
Last updated - September 2022
Program Overview
Nakkertok’s Race Program is made up of more than 250 athletes, ages 8 and up. Athletes are divided into training groups by age: U10 (Mini Racing Rabbits), U12 (Racing Rabbits), U14, U16, U18 and ENRG (Elite Nordic Racing Group).
Programs for athletes U14 and older are led by professional coaches, with U12 and U10 led by volunteers with support from professional staff. Lead coaches for all programs are supported by volunteer coaches (parents, youth, alumni, other).
Lead coaches for each program, as well as parent coordinators for U10 to U18 programs, sit on the Race Committee, along with a Trip Coordinator, Volunteer Coach representative, Athlete representatives and a Board Liaison member. The Race Committee is chaired by the volunteer Race Director. It meets monthly and reports to the Nakkertok Board of Directors.
Vision/Values
The Nakkertok Nordic Race Program vision is to inspire and enable all ages and abilities in the pursuit of cross-country skiing as a lifelong activity:
We value each other as individuals and in our respective roles as athletes, coaches, board members, volunteers, etc.
We act with integrity. We expect active, open, and honest sharing of information and ideas, listening carefully to and respecting the opinions of others.
We value each athlete, provide equal opportunity for each athlete, and treat all athletes fairly, encouraging each athlete to fulfill their potential, as a community member, as a person, and as an athlete.
Different athlete goals and levels of commitment to skiing are accepted. Coaches allow athletes’ goals to take precedence over their own.
We strive to meet the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive needs of each athlete and use the Long Term Athlete Development Guidelines to do so.
We recognize the many benefits afforded by the Club as an entity, strive to promote the Club, and recognize the authority of the Club Board of Directors in overseeing the ski programs.
Individual athletes, in addition to achieving their own goals through independent activities, function as part of the Club and contribute to the overall success of the Club.
Mission - Nakkertok
To achieve excellence in cross-country skiing and to grow the interest in skiing within the Ottawa/Gatineau region, through a club community that provides facilities and learning support to all ages of skiers and their families.
Mission - Race Program
To ensure the continued success of the racing program
To manage program and activity risk to an appropriate level
To act in the best long-term interests of our athletes
To foster a lifelong love of sport among our athletes and their families
To enable every athlete in our program to achieve their athletic and human potential
Performance Goals
The Nakkertok Race Program aims to:
Continue to be recognized as the top Club at Nationals;
Consistently have racers participating on National Teams and International trips, and have racers succeeding Locally, Provincially, Nationally and Internationally;
Host two large races each year that bring competition from outside of our region (O-Cup, Q-Cup, Easterns, NORAMS, US Ski Tour, Nationals);
Retain as many skiers as possible from age group to age group.
In order to achieve these goals, the Nakkertok Race Program will:
Continue to grow to the extent it can without diluting the quality of service provided to each athlete.
Hire and retain excellent coaches (including youth coaches) and wax technicians by paying competitive wages and offering a supportive and challenging environment with appropriate development opportunities.
Support, encourage and facilitate the participation of athletes and parents as volunteer coaches, including by providing coaching development pathways for older athletes to participate as coaches for younger athletes.
Have a 3.3 km homologated Nakkertrak and lead efforts to improve the Nakkertok trail network to support early season training and racing.
Focus on Quebec - regenerate Quebec athlete base and have a stronger role and representation at SFQ to help strengthen our Quebec base and ties
In respect of sponsorships, develop and sustain strong relationships with local industry to support ski racers in the region.
Facilitate the successful balance of high-performance training with post-secondary education (via ENRG); continue cooperating with the University of Ottawa and Carleton to achieve this balance and provide a competitive alternative to National training centers.
Improve alumni members’ experience and offer programming for families/parents after racers have ‘graduated’ from racing. Consider an alumni space/building, a Master’s program and/or a Master’s racing program with possible training and preparation for events outside of Q-Cups/O-Cups/Nationals, for example loppets.
Take active steps to support and participate in the National Capital Division of XCSO.